Varanasi Expands Fire-Station Plan as BHU Agrees to Provide Land

Varanasi: The district’s fire-service network is set for a wider expansion, with a station approved for Rajatalab, a proposal under consideration for Baragaon and Banaras Hindu University agreeing to provide land for a dedicated campus facility.

The expansion is intended to reduce response time as residential areas, institutions and commercial activity spread beyond the city’s older core. Varanasi currently has permanent fire stations at Bhelupur, Chetganj and Pindra, along with a special unit serving the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple area and a mini station in Kotwali.

A new fire station at Khajuri village in the Rajatalab area has received approval and is expected to advance after the remaining administrative formalities. A separate proposal for Kuru village in Baragaon has been sent to higher authorities.

Land has also been sought for proposed stations in Sarnath, Jalhupur, Chaubepur and Cholapur. These locations remain at the proposal or land-identification stage and should not be treated as operational stations.

BHU’s decision to make land available strengthens an earlier plan for a campus fire station. A dedicated unit could improve emergency coverage for the university’s hospitals, hostels, laboratories, academic buildings and adjoining neighbourhoods. The exact site and construction schedule will depend on the formal transfer and departmental approvals.

Temporary arrangements have been used in Rohania and Cholapur during high-risk summer periods, but permanent stations would allow equipment and crews to remain closer to fast-growing parts of the district throughout the year.

Reducing response time is not only a question of distance. New stations will require trained crews, water supply, communications equipment, suitable vehicles and unobstructed approach roads. Coordination with police, hospitals, municipal teams and large institutions will also be necessary during complex emergencies.

The proposed locations cover different risk profiles, from dense urban neighbourhoods and university facilities to highways, markets and expanding residential belts. Fire-safety inspections and evacuation planning will remain important even after additional stations become operational.

Fire officials will still need to complete land, building, staffing, vehicle and equipment processes for each proposed location. Until then, residents and institutions should continue using the existing emergency network and keep access routes clear for fire tenders.